This photo is of the craneway at the Highland Park Model T Plant, Highland Park, Michigan. Experts tell me that the photo most likely dates from the mid-twenties, just before the plant closed. They note that in the full size image they were quite sure the stack of rims, bottom right, are steel, not wood. But that puzzles me as my grandfather worked there from 1910 to 1919. There are not many photos from that era (at least that I've seen) to give me any comparisons. Note that on the third floor, left, completed cars are ready to drop out the ramp. Second floor, far right, are stacks of brooms. Ford kept the plant very clean. And no, I don't know who the "boss man" is top right.
My grandfather worked under Edward Gray, who along with Albert Kahn designed the plant. After leaving Detroit in 1919 he came back in 1936 and worked for Ed Gray again before moving on to work for Gar Wood. His last job for Wood was designing engines and transmissions for landing craft for WWII, and the invasion of Japan. Of course they were never needed and grandpa died in 1945 so I never knew him personally. | Click image for Comments. | Home | Browse All Photos